Summer drawled on, each day filled with mischief and leisure for Sora and his friends.
With no school to attend, Sora spent every day at the Destiny Inn with Riku and Kairi. Sora's father spent much time away, very rarely speaking of his whereabouts to anyone other than Aerith.
One night, the tavern doors swung open to reveal a troubled-looking Cloud.
"Father!" Sora hopped over the counter to greet his father.
"Sora," Cloud's hanged head lifted, a glimmer of joy on his face.
"What's the matter? Is something wrong?" Sora asked.
Cloud glanced up at the bar Riku stood behind.
"I shall tell you when we return home." Cloud dismissed. "I will see you until then."
He turned on his heel, slamming the door behind him.
"What was that about?" Riku wondered.
"I don't know..." Sora answered. "Father never likes to talk about things that trouble him; he prefers to handle them himself."
"You know what often helped me in troubling times?" Riku asked.
"What?"
"A nice, warm bath. Sometimes, when I was upset, my mother would take me to the bath house where she worked." Riku answered.
"I thought you said your mother was a prostitute," Sora pointed out.
"I did." Riku stated, giving Sora a wink.
Sora's cheeks reddened as the realization settled. "I suppose I haven't bathed in a while, either...but Father wouldn't want us to waste water."
"The tub here at the inn is large enough for at least two grown men to fit, we could share a bath." Riku suggested.
Sora blushed more furiously. "W-we can't do that!"
"Why not?" Riku inquired.
Sora struggled for a sufficient answer. "I...I suppose there's no reason we can't..."
"Excellent. I'll draw the water, and you can heat it." Riku decided.
Once the boys had finished their respective tasks, Riku eagerly stripped himself of his garments.
Sora covered his face with his hands, peeking through his fingers for glimpses of Riku's body.
"What are you hiding your face for? Are you embarrassed?" Riku asked.
"N-no!" Sora insisted, bravely peeling his hands away from his face.
He suddenly struggled for breath at the sight of Riku's body: his muscular frame; his smooth skin; the strange scars on his back...
"I..." Sora faltered. His eyes drifted lower...
"Don't stare at me too long, or I'll be embarrassed!" Riku laughed. His hand wavered over his lower half.
Sora shook his head. "Right, right! Sorry..."
With shaking hands, Sora removed his clothes and slipped into the tub. Riku slipped in after him.
Though the tub was large, it was very snug, and barely allowed both boys to fit comfortably inside.
"I could've sworn this tub looked bigger..." Riku muttered. "Oh well, I suppose it's fine for me as long as you're comfortable."
Sora locked his eyes to a fixed point on Riku's upper half to distract him from the lower.
"Sora? Are you alright?" Riku asked.
"Yes! I'm alright!" Sora's voice squeaked, and his throat felt dry.
"If you turn around, I'll wash your back for you." Riku offered.
"O-oh...of course." Sora shifted in the tub, awkwardly turning himself around and sitting with his back to Riku.
"You can come closer," Riku coaxed.
"No, this is fine!" Sora insisted.
Riku reached for the chunk of soap and rubbed it on Sora's back. "Your skin is so smooth."
"Th-thank you..." Sora tucked his hair behind his ear. "I'll wash yours when you've finished."
Riku cupped the water in his hands, letting it run down Sora's back and wash away the suds. Then, the water sloshed in the tub as the two traded positions, and Riku now sat with his back to Sora.
Sora ran his fingers over the scars, as if trying to read the story behind them by touching them.
"Riku...can I ask what these came from?" Sora asked hesitantly.
"Some of them are from when I was a child, when I was mauled by a stray dog that lived near the bath house." Riku replied.
"And...the others?"
"Battle scars from the war against the French and Indians." Riku mumbled. "Please don't look at them too long...the memories are ugly and the scars are not much different."
"They're not ugly," Sora assured.
"But they're not beautiful, either. Unfortunately, they will always be a part of me." Riku sighed.
"You cannot change your past, but what you do with your future based on your past is what matters." Sora said.
Riku chuckled. "You can be wise sometimes, can't you?"
"I have my moments," Sora agreed.
Riku glanced over his shoulder and flicked the water at Sora.
"Hey!" Sora scooped up a handful of water and dumped it on Riku.
Riku laughed, dumping another handful of water on Sora's head. "Your hair won't completely flatten even if you pour water on it?"
"My hair is a very strange and wondrous thing," Sora admitted.
Riku laughed, splashing Sora harder.
The two continued until the tub emptied.
After Sora bid Riku goodnight, he journeyed home alone.
When he opened the door, he found his father sitting by the light of a single candle in the family room. His mother and sister must have been asleep already.
"Father, what happened today?" Sora asked gently, approaching his father slowly.
"Sora...do you remember when Riku first arrived?" Cloud answered cautiously, his words careful as if he were treading on eggshells.
"Yes," Sora replied, "you said that his arrival meant big change was coming."
"Indeed," Cloud agreed, "and I fear that change will happen soon."
"How do you know?" Sora wondered.
"I've heard men talking," Cloud's voice began to shake, "they're forming a coalition of some sort, and they may make their first move."
"What will that mean for us?" Sora asked.
"I'm not sure..." Cloud faltered.
"Will you join the coalition?"
Cloud's eyes were fixed to the floor. "I may join later, after I know what this act is...but whether I do or do not, you must not tell Riku a word. I understand you two have become close in the last several months - close as brothers, almost - but you mustn't tell him a single word."
Sora nodded. "What about Axel, Reno, Roxas, and Prompto?"
"I suppose they should be alright. They might join the coalition, after all." Cloud mentioned.
"Do Mother and Kairi know about this?"
"Yes, I told them before you came home. Speaking of which: what took you so long?"
"I was bathing at the tavern," Sora answered.
"You didn't waste water, did you?" Cloud pressed.
"No," Sora lied.
"Alright. Sora, get to bed." Cloud said.
"Yes, Father."
Sora turned to leave, but Cloud added, "And Sora?"
"Yes?"
"Stay away from that coalition for now. Is that clear?"
"But, Father - " Sora protested.
"Stay away. Is. That. Clear?" Cloud punctuated.
"...Yes, Father." Sora mumbled. "Goodnight, Father."
"Goodnight, Sora."
The next morning, Sora traveled to the tavern with Kairi. All night, his memory flashed to their bath. The beauty of Riku's body refused to leave his mind as they strolled down the street. His head swam with each detail, each pale scar.
"Sora, are you alright?" Kairi waved her hand in front of Sora's eyes. "You seem lost."
"H-huh? I suppose I'm alright," Sora replied.
"You suppose?" Kairi pressed.
"It's just...Riku and I bathed together last night, and I couldn't shake the sight of Riku's body from my mind," Sora answered, "and I just...it made me feel so warm, but also...I don't know..."
"I knew it," Kairi remarked, placing her hands on her hips. "You're in love with Riku."
"What? No! That's impossible!" Sora objected.
"What's so impossible about it? You're jealous of other girls who talk to him, you get warm when you think about him, you blush around him all the time!" Kairi counted the evidence on her fingers.
"Axel says I blush a lot, regardless!" Sora pointed out.
"But I've never seen you blush so deeply than when you're around him!" Kairi waggled her finger.
Sora's eyes flicked to the side. "He does make me feel all warm inside, like a fire is burning me up..."
"Mm-hmm..."
"And...once, he said I reminded him of a friend he lost on the journey here...but he said I was also different from him. And...he held my hands and looked me in the eyes..." Sora faltered as he drifted off into the memories.
"You love Riku!" Kairi claimed.
"N-no! E-even if I did, Riku would never love me back, especially not in that way." Sora insisted.
"And why not?" Kairi wondered.
"Because he said there was nothing like that in England." Sora said. "And that the king would never allow two men like Axel and Roxas to court."
"Maybe he's discovering that the colonies are far different than England, and if Axel and Roxas can be their honest selves, then so can he." Kairi suggested.
"No, it's impossible." Sora shook his head.
"Why don't you at least tell him?" Kairi offered.
"And lose his trust as my friend? I'd rather die with this secret." Sora decided.
"I think you'd make a mistake if you kept that secret forever. Remember: I'm good at reading people; and just based off what Riku told you and what you two have done together, I can honestly say that I think the outcome will be very good if you just confess." Kairi said. "In fact, I could even make sure you find time today to tell him."
Sora rubbed the back of his neck, groaning. "Are you sure I should do this? The last time I took your advice, I witnessed things I never should have witnessed."
"I apologize for not being clear with that," Kairi admitted, "but please, I really think you should tell him."
Sora pursed his lips. "Alright..."
"Perfect! Now come on!" Kairi ran ahead to the inn.
Waiting inside was Riku, with Axel, Roxas, Prompto, and Reno.
"You're late," Axel snickered.
"I know, I apologize," Sora said.
The two hurried to the kitchen to begin their chores.
Around noon, Kairi decided the time had come for Sora to confess.
She hurried to Sora's side. "Riku's outside stacking empty crates, and the other boys are in the dining area. Go, quickly! You might not catch him alone!"
Sora's heart jolted, fluttering like a trapped bird. He nodded fervently. "A-alright!"
He hurried outside, finding Riku in the alley beside the tavern.
"Finally you've come to help me," Riku chuckled.
"Y-yes..." Sora mumbled, helping rearrange the crates.
Silent minutes passed, when Sora finally piped up, "R-Riku, I have to tell you something..."
"Sure, what is it?" Riku stopped stacking crates and turned to Sora, arms crossed.
"It's...well...I..." Sora began, when suddenly the two heard shouting in the street.
"What's going on out there?" Riku lifted his head to see, but Sora quickly realized what the commotion was.
"N-nothing!" Sora replied. "An animal probably got loose."
"Alright..." Riku muttered, turning to the crates.
Axel burst into the alley, Roxas, Reno, and Prompto behind him. "Sora, come on! You've got to see what's going on!"
"I-I can't," Sora replied.
"Why not?" Reno asked.
"I'll come," Riku offered.
"No!" Sora shrieked. "N-never mind, I'll go!"
"Hurry up!" Axel gestured.
"Sora, are you sure I shouldn't go?" Riku took a step to him. "And what were you going to say?"
Sora turned his head to the crowd rushing by. "I...I'll tell you later. Just, please, stay here!"
He dashed off, following his friends to a large elm tree where the crowd had gathered.
The boys pushed past the crowd, finding their way to the front. Sora's eyes traveled up the tree trunk until they rested on one of the branches: dangling from a branch was a human-shaped sack stuffed with straw, a name painted on its chest: Andrew Oliver. That name was not familiar with Sora, but he understood what this was. Hanging next to the effigy was a British soldier's boot.
His hands drifted to cover his mouth, the crowd roaring louder, their messages mostly things like, "DOWN WITH THE STAMP ACT", and "REPEAL THE STAMP ACT".
Roxas' hand drifted to Axel's squeezing it lightly. Axel glanced down at his lover, squeezing his hand in return. Reno swallowed thickly, and Prompto closed his eyes, shaking his head.
Sora's eyes drifted away from the tree, spotting a man on the opposite side of the tree: his father. He met eyes with Cloud, and Cloud's eyebrows furrowed in anger. Sora gasped, pushing his way past the crowd.
He started running back to the tavern when a rough arm grabbed him.
"Sora! What did I tell you about seeing that?" Cloud demanded.
"I didn't mean to, I promise! But if I hadn't gone, Riku would've followed me!" Sora insisted, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.
"Don't cry, boy!" Cloud shook his son.
"I'm sorry, I won't do it again!" Sora promised, wiping his eyes quickly.
Cloud released his son's arm and sighed.
"When you come home tonight, find a switch so I can punish you. I'll only give you half as many as I was going to give you originally." Cloud said.
Sora nodded swiftly.
"Good. Now, return to the tavern. Remember, not a word to Riku; I'll tell Kairi tonight." Cloud instructed.
"Yes, Father." Sora turned on his heel and ran to the tavern.
Riku was still standing outside stacking crates.
"What was the commotion?" Riku wondered.
"Oh, I was right; an untamed horse had gotten loose," Sora replied. It stung to lie to the boy he had come to trust so deeply, but he decided he didn't want the extra whippings.
"Sora, have you been crying?"
Sora's fingers drifted to his eyes. "No..."
Riku crossed his arms again.
"Alright...yes. The horse kicked at me - it missed - but I fell backward into something and it hurt really badly." Sora said.
"Are you alright?" Riku reached for the arm Cloud had gripped, but Sora drew it away.
"I'm fine." Sora assured.
"Now, what was it you were going to tell me?" Riku asked.
"Oh...right..." Sora's gaze drifted away.
Riku tilted his head.
"Riku..."
"Yes?"
Sora's heart jostled in his ribs, his entire body trembling. His throat became dry, and he struggled to dislodge the words. His lips quivered as he attempted to part them.
"Sora?" Riku's voice was gentle and low.
Maybe he wouldn't blatantly tell Riku; instead, he would make it sound like a rumor.
"K-Kairi thinks...she thinks that I'm in love with you." Sora said. He let out a too-loud laugh. "I-isn't that ridiculous? I mean, why would I be in love with you?"
"She does, huh?" Riku crossed his arms. "I suppose it is ridiculous..."
"Y-yeah," Sora agreed breathlessly.
"But is it true?" Riku demanded.
Sora's cheeks flushed. "I...um..."
"Is it true?" Riku repeated.
Sora scratched at his face, eyes not meeting Riku.
Riku suddenly cupped Sora's chin, forcing his focus on him. "Sora...do you love me?"